Five Things To Do This Weekend in Memphis October 30th-November 1st

Happy Thursday! Halloween has finally arrived and Memphis celebrates with all sorts of traditions. A hoe-down, Latino fiesta, and All Saints Day are just a few of the weekend offerings. Saints-tioned events are all planned here for you.

A party celebrating life on Friday is to die for—The Day of the Dead Fiesta.

I figure that you already have your Halloween party plans, so I am focusing this week on some Friday events that might not already be on your radar. The Day of the Dead Fiesta, for instance, a traditional Mexican holiday honoring those who have gone before us. This adults-only event features some wonderful entertainment by Marcela Pinilla, Memphis Symphony Orchestra, Opera Memphis, New Ballet Ensemble, and others. Instead of a costume, wear black and white. Enjoy watching a Catrina painting being created by Paco Gonzalez, food by local restaurants, and sangrias. Best of all, bring photo of a deceased loved one for Tree of Life to honor their place in your heart.The Harvest Ball in Cooper-Young is a good way to honor those who are among us now. This music themed event features paintings, photography, collage, folk art, blown and fired glass, sculpture, food and drink, a costume contest, and more benefiting Healing Planet Cancer Ministry. Spirits With The Spirits at Elmwood Cemetery is a combination of mingling with those who are still with us amongst our Memphis ancestors. Speaking of ancestors, Friday will also host the transformation of Woodruff-Fontaine house into a haunted mansion benefiting restoration efforts.

Let's not forget our artsy events on this holiday weekend. John Floyd will not only be signing his book, Sun Records an Oral History, there will be live music too. Joan Livingstone will be at the opening reception for "Marvels and Oddment[s]," an exhibition of previously overlooked objects rethought, reanimated, and reskinned to be held at Rhodes College. Barbara's Blue Kitchen will be open for one night only at Bartlett Performing Arts and Conference Center. Wait Until Dark closes this weekend at Theatre Memphis. Art of Darkness will be a lively party hosted by Memphis College of Art on Saturday. Also on Saturday is McGregorween Fest, a benefit for local musician Don McGregor who is undergoing chemotherapy. Finally, beginning on Sunday, check out the young men at Memphis University School in a tribute to Hitchcock, The Final Cut.

Sometimes I need to get away. And sometimes I just have no place I really want to go. When that happens, I pull out a map, close my eyes, and blindly point to a place within driving distance. The last time I did that, my finger landed on a town in Texas called New Boston. Never heard of the place which boasts a population of 4,800. As luck would have it, New Boston was having a festival of sorts the weekend that I wanted to get out of town. I was game. When I got there it was an out and out hoe-down with music, food, dancing, and the nicest people you would ever want to meet. The folks in New Boston even directed me to a rodeo after the festival. It was my first rodeo and New Boston became my favorite place with a population under 5,000, hands down. Should you not want to travel this weekend, check out our local Low Down Hoe-Down. It is fun for the whole family and benefits the ArtWorks Foundation. Also on Saturday is Sinners For Saints Ball benefiting Church Health Center, The House Party benefiting FedExFamilyHouse, and a screening of Night of the Living Dead at Memphis Made Halloween benefiting—as far as I can tell—those who love great beer and cheesy horror movies.

Day of the Dead is to Mexico as All Saints Day is to this Italian. Less festive, perhaps, All Saints Day nonetheless gives honor to the loved ones we have lost. This year on the holiday, Idlewild Presbyterian Church also celebrates 125 years. There will be a carillon concert of the bells in the belfry joined by brass instruments and the choir. I think it will be a lovely ending to the weekend.

For a full list of what’s happening this weekend in and around Memphis, check out our calendar of events. Also, be sure to tag your favorite Instagram photos of Memphis while you are out and about with the #memphisflyer hashtag. I hope you have a great weekend.